Human history is marked by difficulty. Most problems are too big for any one of us to solve. But I still love the stories where dedicated people overcome impossible odds. I don’t think those times are over.
It’s easy to be cynical. I’m damn good at it. And I can’t tell you how much I value healthy skepticism.
The difference between medicine and poison is the dose, and I worry that our society is becoming intoxicated with pessimism.
I won’t advocate for a naive hope that ignores difficult realities. I certainly don’t have solutions to every problem. But I believe that most people are fundamentally good—even the ones I disagree with on core issues.
So I am embracing an irrational hope. I believe that we can improve systems. I believe that we can step outside our tribes. I believe that we can ask for honor and accountability from leaders in all domains, and that we can elevate the many great people who prioritize the welfare of humanity over their own ambitions.
I hope you’ll join me in being irrationally hopeful today.
(My name is Jeff Clark. I’m a board-certified psychiatrist with additional expertise in addiction psychiatry and addiction medicine. I’m building affordable, scalable, mental health software at Euthymic Studios. I also run High Performance Mental Health, a boutique private practice that serves values-driven founders, executives, and high-impact professionals in California and Utah. Their stories will never show up in my blog posts.)
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